Opening Times: Mon - Sat 10am to 4pm
Sun 11am to 2pm (opening times may vary)
Last entry time is 15 minutes prior to closing.
Check 'Your Visit' page for any upcoming closures
FREE Admission
Follow the Medieval and Tudor town trail around Faversham and view some of our beautiful historical buildings.
Learn facts as you make your way around about real Faversham pirate John Ward. Answer the questions to find out who stole his treasure.
Walking route will take approx. 90 minutes.
Enter the Faversham Charters exhibition at 12 Market Place.
Q1: Find the type of fish/seafood that was fished for by a Faversham company.
A:
As you leave the room, stop by the Kids Cabinet on your right. Watch the slideshow on the tablet.
Q2: What is the name of the 3rd King to seal Magna Carta?
A:
Leave the building by the front door and look up to your right to find a plaque.
Q3: A merchant adventurer lived here. His name was Henry _________?
A:
Turn left towards West Street. On your left stands The Ship.
Q4: Which monarchs ships were anchored in the creek when this inn first opened?
A:
Between 1560 and 1603 Queen Elizabeth I granted ‘letters of marque’, which gave permission to privateers or ‘Sea Dogs’ to attack and plunder mainly Spanish ships. She received a percentage of their earnings. Ward become a licenced privateer during this time, perhaps after the Spanish Armada failed to attack England in 1588.
As you walk down West Street you will spot some colourful timber framed buildings on your left.
Q5: What number is the pink house?
A:
Continue to the end of the pedestrianised part of West Street and cross over the zebra crossing.
IF YOU’VE GOT TIME… Continue straight down West Street and you will see many more old houses. West Street is one of the oldest streets in Faversham. At the end of West Street turn left to find the Gospel Hall, this was the site of Faversham’s first Guildhall and gaol. This was the centre of the town, and this is where all the townsfolk would meet for town meetings and trials.
CONTINUE THE TRAIL… Retrace your steps back to the zebra crossing (but do not cross it). With Faversham Vets behind you, make your way towards England’s oldest brewery.
DID YOU KNOW? Medieval and Tudor Faversham folk used malted grain to brew their beer.
When King James I became king in 1603, he outlawed privateers, so many turned to piracy. Around 1604 Ward was pressed into service aboard a ship belonging to the King.
IF YOU’VE GOT TIME… Turn left into Bridge Road and view Faversham’s Creek.
DID YOU KNOW? The creek was much wider and deeper during medieval times and would have been a bustling trading port. As a branch of Dover, Faversham was (and still is) a Cinque Port town, providing a ship for the monarch up until Henry VIII’s Royal Navy.
CONTINUE THE TRAIL…
Cross over Bridge Road. On your left stands a medieval warehouse.
Q6: Its current name comes from a ship who fought which country?
A:
BEWARE!
If you are a wheelchair/scooter user, you will need to go on the road for approx. 25m, as there is no drop kerb. Please stay safe!
Follow the road round to the right, going up Quay Lane. This is a busy road and the path is narrow. Please hold hands with any young children.
Turn left at the top into Abbey Street. Look for the plaque on the wall.
Q7: Abbey Street is described as “One of ____________’s finest medieval streets”
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Walk down the right side of Abbey Street, until you spot a pub.
Q8: _________ Tavern was once a medieval hall c1330?
A:
Ward and his shipmates decided to desert and stole a ship from Portsmouth harbour. Ward was elected captain. Ward and his men sailed to the Isle of Wight and stole another ship. Using their two ships, they stole a much larger French ship. Captain Jack Ward and his men sailed to the Mediterranean Sea, where they were able to capture a Dutch ship with 32 guns.
Continue down Abbey Street until you reach Arden’s House on the right.
Q9: Thomas Arden, once mayor of Faversham was murdered, at the instigation of his wife. In which month was he murdered?
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There is another plaque on Arden’s House.
Q10: Which famous Faversham building was this part of?
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Continue to the end of Abbey Street.
Q11: What part of a ship is the pub named after?
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Ward sailed for Algiers in Algeria, however several of his men were arrested, as the city had been attacked by other pirates recently. They sailed for Sale in Morocco, where in 1605 several Dutch and English sailors joined Ward’s crew.
Turn left at the pub and follow the road round to the right into Standard Quay. Find the plaque (up high) on the ‘oldest surviving warehouse in Britain’ on the right.
Q12: Which part of Faversham Abbey were the timbers thought to be from?
A:
Return to Abbey Street and continue to the junction of Abbey Place (on your left) and find the information board.
Q13: Which King was said to be buried in Faversham?
A:
Walk down Abbey Place towards the Grammar School. There are 2 alleys, follow the one on the right of the school.
Q14: The original grammar school is on the right, built in 1567. Which monarch was it named after?
A:
IF YOU’VE GOT TIME… If it is open, visit the Abbey Physic Garden and view the rear of the building.
In 1606, Ward captured a trading vessel in the Strait of Gibraltar. Uthman Dey was the military dictator leader in the city of Tunis in Tunisia. Captain Ward reached an agreement with him that they could shelter in the city, by paying up to 10% of the goods they captured.
Continue on towards the church.
DID YOU KNOW? There has been a church here since c636. The church was the largest in Kent in medieval times. Inside is a column from c1306, it shows 10 events in Jesus’ life.
Q15: The church is named ‘St Mary of ___________’?
A:
IF YOU’VE GOT TIME… If it is open and there is not a service, pop inside and have a look at the church.
Turn right into Church Street. Follow to the end and turn left into Court Street. Carefully cross the road to the opposite side. Find Custom House.
Q16: Above you will see the coat of arms of the UK with the monarch’s motto ‘Dieu et mon __________’?
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From his base in Tunis, Ward was able to capture many European ships. The richest hauls were from Venetian ships.
Ward and his fleet of pirate ships headed for the Adriatic Sea in 1607. They were scattered by a terrible storm. Ward aboard ‘Gift’ found another of his ships ‘Rubi’ and together they headed for the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Ward and his men spotted a much larger ship and fought a 3 hour fire fight, before finally ordering his ships to move closer and prepare to board. The cargo was estimated to be worth between £500,000 and £2,000,000!
Further on the right is the brewery visitor centre. The brewery dates from 1698, although brewing in Faversham has been around since at least the medieval era.
Q17: This brewery is called Shepherd ______________?
A:
Walk along Court Street. When you see a red water pump, look to your right.
Q18: The gold pestle and mortar represents what type of business?
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Ward asked King James I for a royal pardon for all his acts of illegal piracy. The King refused, as Venice was close to declaring war on England after their recent loss of money.
Ward reluctantly returned to Tunis, whereupon he and his crew converted to Islam. Ward changed his name to Yusuf Reis. He married an Italian woman, although he still had a wife in England.
Continue walking to the left until you find an inn on your right.
Q19: What is the name of the earliest surviving inn in Faversham?
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Behind you is an imposing building, built in 1574 as a market hall.
Q20: It later became Faversham’s 3rd and current ____________ Hall?
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An English sailor who saw him in Tunis in 1608 allegedly described Ward as “very short with little hair, and that quite white, bald in front, swarthy face and beard. Speaks little and almost always swearing. Drunk from morn till night. The habits of a thorough salt. A fool and an idiot out of his trade.”
After 1612 John Ward ended his career in piracy, electing to teach younger corsairs (pirates) gunnery and navigation. He profited greatly by his piracy, retiring to Tunis to live a life of opulent comfort until his death in 1622, at the age of 70.
From 1609 until 1615 dozens of plays, ballads, memoirs, pamphlets, and books would be written about England’s Arch-Pirate. The character Jack Sparrow from the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ films is said to be based on Ward’s life.
IF YOU’VE GOT TIME… Complete some activities in our Faversham Charters Kids Cabinet and earn your FREE Wheels of Time badge. For children aged 5-11.
ALTERNATIVELY… Take a walk up Preston Street and view some of the older buildings on display and pop into the Fleur de Lis Museum to find out more about the history of Faversham.
ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR DAY IN FAVERSHAM!
We appreciate ALL your donations, big or small!
Scan the QR code to make a £3 donation. Your donations go towards keeping the Faversham Charters exhibition open and support our education programme.
Please email if you spot any errors: fiona.palmer@favershamtowncouncil.gov.uk
